The sun crept lower in the horizon, transforming into a burning blotch of blood in a tangerine sky that stained the environment, making the beach almost seem like an entirely different place. Even the white cliffs that loomed ahead could not escape the stain, soaking in the dye of light and becoming lumbering pink titians saddled with evergreens leaking of fog. It at least made for an easy guide point. Leeka watched the waters shimmer in the dimmer, yet strangely, saturated colors of dusk as the waves crashed upon the shoreline, causally avoiding the surf in a makeshift game to entertain herself on her way back to the Edge. To home. A sense of elation overcame her, forcing a smile on her face at the thought.The two words nearly felt synonymous, as if they belonged together and that she had only been forgetful of that for whatever reason.

A pang of guilt.

Of course she would never forget Eoroleen, the land she was born into. It was a part of the fabric that made her and could never be removed, a pattern of which may be irreparably marred now but didn't have to dictate the weave to follow, not if she let it. There are other ways to honor a memory, but letting them hold you down wasn't one of them. Trying to strip yourself of the past would be like trying to rip the ground from underneath you - a futile attempt that if somehow were to be completed would only toss you down into an irreparably. For if there is no ground to stand on, what is there to do but fall?

There was always a way forward. Always. Or else let her forever be naive to the other possibilities.

Leeka shook her head to interrupt the flow of thoughts flinging themselves about like trigger-happy bullets. Where as all of this coming from? The mare chuckled at herself then, a sweet sounding chime that would make Kahlua proud, at her sudden disposition of being a...what? Philosopher? Another laugh was about to break from her lips, teasing just on the brim of her maw when it suddenly died in its infancy as she noticed someone ahead. It was the sheen of his spotted, wintry coat made near gory in the dusk-light that had caught her attention and the glean off his horn that caused her to slightly tense. The stranger was no one she knew, that was a given, and the overwhelming scent of salt on the wind prevented her from identifying if he came from the Worlds's Edge or not, leaving yet another thing to guess at. It didn't help the matter that he was, more or less, in her way, an obstacle to be passed.

Normally Leeka could get a feel of someone right away, a feedback of some kind, but for the first time there wasn't much to say. He was simply standing there, somewhat in her way. She could have simply moved on but she couldn't bring herself to, not yet, almost as if suddenly a gravitational pull had been cast upon her lithe little frame, leaving her to idly wonder his purpose here.

" It'll be dark soon. You should head home."

It was an obvious statement but spoken with genuine sincerity. Don't say anything more, One thought pleaded, Make him answer, find out where he's from at least. egged another. If she could find out if he belonged to the World's Edge or not the mare would consider it an accomplishment and enough of an reward to carry on her way. If not...well, she had to give it try, to dig out some secrets or find out if she could help. He could be lost after all.

@[Mauja]